5 things you need to know
Dear friends,
Some weeks are driven by one or two topics of significance, this week there are five. From the President’s State of the Union Address to my ongoing efforts to try to bring much needed relief to Wisconsinites during the propane crisis, below is a round-up of five things you need to know:
1. The State of the Union lacked energy. The President struck a more bipartisan tone in his fifth State of the Union address. This was a good thing. We need to find common ground so we can get things done, grow our economy and look to the private sector to create jobs. However, I wish the President had expanded his bipartisan jobs agenda to include a commitment to building the Keystone XL pipeline. It would create thousands of American jobs, bolster our North American energy independence, and help prevent future home heating crises like the one we are currently experiencing in Wisconsin.
Also, as I told Fox’s Sean Hannity, the President talked about people who did not have health insurance before Obamacare, but he failed to mention the millions of Americans who lost their health insurance because of Obamacare. Click on the image to watch the full clip:
2. Immediate assistance and long-term solutions: While the President did not mention it in address this week, during his visit to our state following the speech, the President witnessed the extreme cold that Wisconsinites have now been dealing with for over a month. These record low temperatures have led to record high home heating prices in our state, and we are in need of relief. Here is what we have been able to accomplish thus far:
· I have worked with USDOT to obtain a waiver for trucking hours of service for propane drivers. I will continue to work with the Administration to extend that exemption.
· I also worked with the Northeast-Midwest Institute to encourage the Administration to expedite the release of remaining LIHEAP funds for Fiscal Year 2014. We received notice this week that $14.2 million in LIHEAP grants has been released to help Wisconsinites meet their energy costs.
· Finally, the entire Wisconsin delegation urged the President to continue to provide additional relief for our state. I am hopeful that he and the Administration will heed our request.
3. Your privacy must remain a priority: The Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Richard Cordray, again appeared before the Financial Services Committee this week. Once again, he tried to convince the committee that it is necessary for the CFPB to collect and monitor your personal financial information and to do so without first obtaining your permission. This is wrong. The Washington Examiner included my exchange in a piece that appeared on The Drudge Report:
"Would you object to getting permission from consumers, those people who you work for, before you collect and monitor their information?" Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., asked Cordray.
"That would make it impossible to get the data," Cordray replied.”
Click on the image to watch our full exchange:
4. Keep talking: Earlier this month hundreds of constituents from Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District descended on our nation’s capital to give a voice to the unborn. While I was back home hosting town halls around the District, I enjoyed following the tweets, status messages and Instragrams throughout the day. Our challenge is to keep the conversation going.
On the Federal level, I am going to continue to do all I can to protect the Judeo-Christian values on which our country was founded. This week I voted in favor of H.R. 7, The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Full Disclosure Act of 2014. Watch this short video below to hear about the other efforts I am pursuing and find out how you can get involved and help us spread the word!
5. See you tomorrow: Tomorrow morning I will host a town hall in Lincoln county. If you are in the area, please join me to discuss the work I am doing on your behalf and talk about the issues that are on your mind:
Monday, February 3, 2014; 7:00 – 8:00 AM
NTC 1603 Champagne Street Merrill, WI 54452. Merrill
That’s a wrap-up of the five things you need to know this week. Until next week, have a great week.
- Sean